


A Conflict of Interest

by phantompanther



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Hentai, Lemon, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-01-05 16:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12193104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantompanther/pseuds/phantompanther
Summary: In an act of retribution gone wrong, the fate of Kaiba’s life now hangs in the balance of his nemesis’s victory.  But what does an eagle-eyed stranger have to do with all of this, and what do they hold in their possession that Kaiba so readily lusts after?  In the deadly chessboard game that is Duelist Kingdom, one must ultimately decide if pursuing vengeance is worth risking their life for. { HET | SLOW-BURN | SMUT | LEMON }





	1. Of Demons and Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> Phantom: Hello everyone. This story is something of a rehash of an older story that was gasping its’ last dying breaths over ten years ago. Back then, it was the writing of my former fifteen year old self and was irrefutably awful. Something about it, though, encouraged me to revive it, so I have had another crack at it, given it a more credible storyline (well, at least, I think it is) and now, here we are. But before we begin, there are a few things to note:
> 
> \- this story is mildly AU, in that it is set in the anime version of Duelist Kingdom, but doesn’t run quite to the original plot, so please don’t call me out on that. Just try and work with it, for the sake of the story.
> 
> \- I don’t personally play duel monster cards, nor have I taken the time to learn much about the game, so I apologise in advance if the duelling scenes are substandard or simply don’t make sense; feel free to let me know how to improve this! 
> 
> \- this story is based, for the most part, on the life of my OC, and her relationship with, primarily, Kaiba, and is set from her point of view. However, other main characters are also integrated as much as possible and are crucial to the plot. If you are not a fan of OC’s (I know many people aren’t, and I am under no illusions that my OC may also fall into the “Mary Sue” stereotype – although I sincerely hope she doesn’t – I guess that is a matter of opinion) then at least give her a chance and read as far as this first chapter. If it’s still not for you, then I shall bid you a respectful farewell. 
> 
> \- this story does contain a bit of a cliché (okay, maybe a couple...), which you will soon find out about, however it is crucial to the plot and it cannot be revoked. I’m sorry if this upsets you, but before you think “oh, HOW original”, please know that I am already aware of this. 
> 
> \- if you are interested in the law, and criminology, you may find this story interesting. I, myself, work at a distinguished law firm, and have tried to make these aspects of the story as authentic, factual and accurate as possible.
> 
> With that said and done, I’ll wrap it up here and let you begin. Please be kind, or at the outside, constructive in your criticism, if you wish to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you ^o^ 
> 
> ~ Phantom

A Conflict of Interest

Chapter One

Of Dragons and Demons

xXx

The night was cold and clear and damp. Dew settled on the grass and the trees swayed in the midnight wind. A few laughs and shouts pierced the night sky in the distance from who I assumed were other duelists. I changed course slightly; the shouts were coming from ahead, and I was in no mind to become a part of their shenanigans. I preferred to travel alone, duel alone, succeed alone – as I had done most of my life – and I preferred to keep it that way. People always tended to complicate things and God knows I didn’t have time for complications, especially not tonight. Not now, not ever. I had gotten too far for anything to impede on my plans, now. 

Since arriving on the island, it seemed that I had unwittingly become something of a controversial subject. Those who had crossed my path had been shown no mercy, after all. Having said that, I did have a somewhat unfair advantage, having been gifted (or, should I say, bribed by) some priceless artefacts from the creator himself. But they couldn’t have known that. Nobody stood a chance, really. In truth, I was growing tired of this star-chip-collecting charade. The only beneficiary from it all was Pegasus himself – to buy him time before I made my way to the castle to break him with his own creations, and not without reason. 

At least, however, I did have one thing in my favour in terms of collecting these star chips. Besides Pegasus himself, my main rival was on this island, somewhere. The one man who I had been longing to duel the last eight years of my duelling life – Kaiba Seto. Frankly, he was the only one worth my time when it came to duelling – as much as it grated on me to admit it. I glanced pleasingly down at the nine star chips that filled my duelling gauntlet. It hadn’t taken much of my time. Only one more to go.  
I continued my night-time escapade through the woods, subconsciously taking in the sounds of the night – the rustling of wild animals in the bushes and wind whistling through the trees, the sound of twigs breaking beneath my feet. A screech owl swooped overheard, screaming its cry, hunting its recognition down. Walking alone through the night not knowing exactly where I was going, but knowing I wasn’t in any real danger, put me in a serene, dreamlike state. Still, I had to be on my guard. I could bump into Kaiba at any moment and had to be ready.

I hated to admit that I had a grossly unhealthy obsession with Duel Monsters. As a result of events in recent years – and the whole reason why I was here – I had spent long hours honing my skills. Obsession or not, I was a good duellist, and the other contestants on this island were beginning to have a taste of it. I had a few tricks up my sleeve that few others had the privilege of, and even then, they hadn’t the knowledge or the power to use. In that respect, Kaiba was my match. Sure, he owned the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragon, but little did he know that I was the owner of another – and that’s not all. Brains and money – okay, and good looks – can only get you so far. 

Chinese whispers had been circulating that Kaiba and I had to be related. I was his long-lost sister. Long-lost cousin. Secret girlfriend. Even his mother. How the latter came about, I couldn’t tell you. From what I had heard, anyway, Kaiba’s parents were dead. Sure, I was a little older than Kaiba; closer in age to Pegasus, in fact. But his mother? Hardly. 

More than anything, it was probably due to the similar persona we carried, although the media loved to sensationalise things. With regard to myself, much of it was only skin-deep. The fact that I refused to comment to the media during or after competitions and also happened to be a prominent businesswoman in my own right apparently made me an Ice Queen. Because of this, they then drew comparisons to Kaiba, notorious as much for his militant style of duelling as he was for his booming corporation. On the surface, it appeared that we were alike in this respect, but even if it were true, it was for differing reasons. Kaiba’s beef with Pegasus was all business, as far as I knew. Mine was a blood feud – and one long overdue for settling, at that.

The only contact I had ever had with Seto Kaiba was at an elite duelists meeting held in the French Riviera a couple of years back. We shook hands briefly, as was obligatory at such an event. He acknowledged my connection in the duelling world with vague interest, and then moved on. It wasn't until the word spread about Kaiba being the number one duelist in the world – save for Pegasus himself – that began my obsession for challenging him. Perhaps tonight, I would get my wish.

Excellent, the beach was now in my view. Waves lapped at the shore, begging me to come and play; even if it was midnight or later. My feet sunk deep into the sand; causing me struggle to walk smoothly. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I cursed myself for not having worn more suitable clothing. In the distance I could see fires which were eventually burning out along the beach. It was obviously a popular spot for duelists to settle in for the night. Guess they had the same idea as I did. Suddenly, I heard a crunching sound behind me; it was probably just a fox or some other pesky animal. I looked back just in time to see a white-haired figure melt back into the undergrowth. I shrugged it off; had they really wanted to bother me, they would have made themselves known.

I continued my hike down the rugged beach, passing by several groups of sleeping duelists. There was only one fire that I could see in the distance that was still burning brightly. If Kaiba was as much of an insomniac as the tabloids claimed him to be, my bets were on that it was him. Steeling myself, I advanced toward the campsite. 

The blazing fire on the beach burned brighter the closer I approached, behind which sat a tired-looking silhouette. I halted on the other side of Kaiba's skilfully made campfire. Sparks flew out into the sky like bats out of hell. Up close, he looked the same as he usually did in the media. Although he was only 15 – maybe 16 – he had lost the supple roundedness of youth already. His face appeared gaunt in the dancing shadows of the fire, his cheekbones razor sharp, mouth set into an unsmiling line. There were shadows cast under his thoughtful dark blue eyes, and frown lines were already embedded between his eyebrows. Being an orphan-turned-child-prodigy-turned-teenage-billionaire had clearly taken a toll on him. I guessed it had robbed him of things that normal children took for granted – like actually having a childhood, something he would now never know. Perhaps Mokuba still had a chance, though, having been too young or worthwhile to have been corrupted by Gozaburo. 

The inferno created a glowing aura around him as he sat against a log, coat collar popped, carefully taking in the addictive poison of a cigarette. I was frankly surprised that he smoked. His eyes raised to mine, without a glimmer of recognition, nor emotion. We stared at each other for a few moments, sizing each other up. 

“Kaiba,” oddly enough, I hadn’t prepared myself for what to say or how to act when it came to the crunch. Hopefully I was tactful enough in my approach. 

“Who are you and what do you want?” Kaiba spat in that infamously husky, guarded voice. 

I smiled complacently. Finally, the moment of truth. “I've been searching for you, Kaiba. Don’t you remember me?” 

“Hn, American,” he muttered to himself with a flutter of his eyes – almost in disgust, I thought – picking up on my accent. “I’d have to say, you’re not exactly remarkable enough to be worthy of remembering.” He sounded bored. 

I laughed at his feigned insult. “Alright then, let’s skip the formalities. My name is not important. However, you might be interested to know that I am another holder of your most treasured card.”

“Oh right, like I’ve never heard that one before.”

I smiled. “I’m sure you have.”

He snarled at me. A few moments of silence passed, but our gaze remained on each other. “You're bluffing.”

I shrugged. “Call my bluff, then.” 

“Show me your deck, stranger.” He demanded.

“No need to be hasty,” I muttered as I dug my deck from out of my suit jacket. “Here.” I handed the Blue Eyes White Dragon card to him. Like hell was I going to show him my other cards.

Kaiba's cobalt eyes went wide, then they narrowed into disgust. “This is a fake.” He said, flicking it back at me. It floated down onto the sand before I picked it back up. 

I slotted the card back into my deck. “It’s not a fake.”

He looked at me vacantly for a moment, but I could see the hunger starting to stir in his eyes. He was like a lion crouching in the grass, waiting for the right moment to strike. I felt like the unsuspecting gazelle. Kaiba was, after all, notorious for his unpredictability. This could go either way.

“If what you say is true, then I hereby challenge you to a duel!”

That, however, was predictable.

“Fine. If I have to prove to you that my Blue Eyes isn’t a copy, so be it.”

Little did he know, this was exactly what I wanted. He just couldn't resist the temptation of and took the bait, just as I had planned. He was blinded by his own greed and the belief that he was the best of the best, to the degree where he lost touch with the reality that he could indeed lose. A duel was always 50/50 at the outset. But I was smarter than that. I had been ready for this moment my whole life.

Kaiba seemed pleased at my acceptance of his proposal. He had no idea that this it was what I had wanted all along. Finally, a challenge! In my eagerness, I felt my mouth fill with a gush of saliva. 

“We will duel abiding by my rules.”

“Which are?”

“We will use the latest innovation in duel monster technology – my new duel disk invention. It works by projecting holographic images, just like a duelling arena.” He pulled out a strange device from his briefcase that looked like a flying saucer and handed it to me.  
“I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out how it works.” Kaiba added bitterly.

“Save it.” I muttered at his backhanded compliment. “Give me your deck to shuffle; I haven’t got all night.” I did, but he didn’t need to know that. 

He reluctantly handed me his deck as I handed mine over. We both shuffled them in different ways but equally as skilled. Once that was done, I put the duel disk on my arm and slotted my deck into it.

“What’s the wager?” Kaiba enquired.

“One star chip.”

“Hmm.” He chuckled at me. Something about that had amused him. 

“Is something funny?”

“I don’t duel for star chips, doll-face. If you win – you can have your precious star chip. If I win, I get your Blue Eyes.” He resounded coolly. 

You’re no Georgia peach yourself, kid, I barely refrained from mentioning, glancing at his wiry frame that had not quite filled out yet, and a spot near his chin. Adolescence was one of the more vulnerable and times of a person’s life, and I could use that to my advantage with Kaiba. However, if he wanted to play dirty, I certainly had some bombshells of my own to drop. Stripping a man of his masculinity was not below the belt, in my book anyway. 

I exhaled slowly to calm my mind, ignoring the pitiable insult. Despite myself, being in Kaiba’s actual physical presence unnerved me a little, even though I knew he was all bark and no bite. He would hurt me as much as the next duelist – that was to say, not at all.  
Up to this point, I had prepared myself mentally as well as I possibly could have, but nothing could match the ferocity of standing face-to-face with him, about to wager up one of my best cards as collateral damage in a duel. He was a teenager, however; a mess of hormones, arrogance and rage, which could easily add to his undoing. In that respect, I had one up on him.

I scowled at him. “You want my Blue Eyes? Then come and get it, Dream Boat!” 

He let out a burst of sadistic laughter. “As you wish. Let’s duel!” 

xXx


	2. Split Asunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Panther-senpai: Hello all! Please go easy on me with this one... XD I am an absolute amateur (aka know basically nothing) about the complexity of duel monsters games, so this is kind of just "filler" in order for more character development and and their relationship to take place. If it doesn't make much sense, please forgive me ^^;

Chapter Two

Split Asunder

xXx

A bitterly cold wind rushed between us and the waves crashed hard onto the shore as we drew our hands. On the fringes, people were starting to gather.

"You can do the honours, Kaiba." I offered.

He fixed his eyes on me for a second or two, then turned to his hand, examining it carefully. "I will play the Mystic Horseman in attack mode! I will also place one card face down. Your move."

_A conservative first move._ "I play my Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness… in attack mode. I will put two cards face down, and that will end my turn."

_Come on Kaiba, take the bait…_

"Pah! Your sea urchin doesn't scare _me_. Mystic Horseman, attack the Sea Warrior now!"

"Not so fast, Kaiba. Activate magic card, Mirror Force!"

Kaiba staggered back as his attack was deflected back at him, shattering his Mystic Horseman to pieces.

"And now my Sea Serpent Warrior, attack Kaiba's life points directly!"

"You think I'd let you break my defences that easily? Think again! I activate my face-down card, Trap Hole!"

I felt the wind leave my sails as a gaping pit opened up on the field between us, sucking my Sea Warrior down into it.

"And there's more where _that_ came from," Kaiba jeered, and drew his next card. 

I fumed slightly. Well played, Kaiba, well played.

"I now summon Saggi the Dark Clown in defence mode, and I will also play Graceful Charity. This allows me to draw three new cards and discard two." Kaiba continued. "I play two cards face down, and that ends my turn!" he shouted, obviously displeased with the new cards he was dealt.

I drew my next card. Excellent! My Swords of Revealing Light could hold him for three turns, giving me a chance to draw my Blue Eyes – that would come in handy later on. In my hand I currently had Red Archery Girl, Aqua Madoor, the Ocean field card, Spell-Binding Circle, the Dark Magician Girl and Monster Reborn. I would need to sacrifice a monster to draw my Dark Magician Girl, but otherwise, I was in a strong position.

"I activate my Ocean field card, which conceals any of my monsters. I also summon monster in attack mode and I will place one card face down, for good measure. Your turn, Kaiba." He snarled at that; I chuckled.

_This woman…whoever she is, is more clued up than I gave her credit for. But, she's still no match for me, even if she does have another Blue Eyes. Hmm… what have I got here? Perfect!_

"I summon my mighty Vorse Raider to the field in attack mode! Vorse Raider, attack whatever monster is hiding in that spineless ocean of hers!"

"Tsk, tsk, Kaiba. I really thought you'd watch out for mistakes like these. Activate magic card, Star Boy!" I cried. "This card, along with the magic effects of my Ocean, will pump up the attack points of my monster to 2100. Red Archery Girl, show yourself, and attack Kaiba's Vorse Raider, now!"

Much to his dismay, Kaiba's mighty beast-warrior card was destroyed and his lifepoints plummeted.

"I will now play Aqua Madoor in attack mode, and that will end my turn."

"You're no match for me. This duel is just beginning! Remember I'm the owner of the only three remaining Blue Eyes White Dragons! It's only a matter of time before I draw one." Kaiba snapped.

"You don't have to tell me twice, Kaiba. Now make your move – not that there's a lot you can do."

"Alright, you asked for it! I summon my Swordstalker to the field in attack mode. I also play the magic card, Heavy Storm! That removes all trap and magic cards from the field, so now I can attack your little mermaid. Go, Swordstalker!"

_Damn. He's got me this time._ My Ocean field card drained away, as well as my other face-down magic card, Spell-Binding Circle. My Red Archery Girl was also obliterated by Kaiba's Swordstalker. But not to worry, I still had plenty more tricks up my sleeve. Kaiba was simply getting his revenge. It was about time he showed some initiative.

"It's my turn!" I drew my next card – the Magic Formula. Yes! That would work well with my Dark Magician Girl. She would get a power boost of 700 attack points, therefore being able to wipe out Kaiba's Swordstalker.

"I sacrifice my Aqua Madoor, to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Kaiba smirked across the field at me. "Nice try, but your little fairy has the same attack strength as my Swordstalker, stalemating any potential attacks. Try again!"

_That's it Kaiba… keep thinking I'm an amateur…_ "You're all full of hot air, aren't you? I haven't finished my turn yet, Kaiba! I now activate the magic card, Magic Formula! Dark Magician Girl, power boost!"

My Dark Magician Girl powered up, flicking through the pages of the Magic Formula book, and her attack points went up by 700. "Now Dark Magician Girl! You know what to do!"

My beautiful spell-caster monster smiled and winked at Kaiba, before destroying his Sword Stalker with her dark magic attack. His life points were already down to 1300 from 3000. Mine were at 1550. The Magic Formula disappeared from the field as my Dark Magician Girl remained unharmed.

"And that's not all, Kaiba! Whenever Magic Formula gets sent to the Graveyard, its special ability activates, which means that I gain 1000 life points! Scared yet?" I cooed.

Kaiba looked visibly irritated at this point. "Big deal! It's my turn. I summon… Battle Ox, in defence mode! I will also play Premature Burial, which allows me to bring back my Swordstalker. I will then place a card face down. That ends my turn."

_He's playing a weak monster, when I have Dark Magician Girl on the field in attack mode, that could easily wipe him out. He must have something planned with that face down card of his._ I drew a card. Toon World! Yes! I also had Monster Reborn in my hand, which meant I could bring back my Red Archery Girl, to morph her into the Toon Mermaid. But still my Blue Eyes remained elusive.

"I will activate my magic card Monster Reborn, and bring back the Red Archery Girl from the Graveyard." I said, watching as my little mermaid rose from the depths once more. "Next, I will sacrifice 1000 of my own life points to activate Toon World to the field. Red Archery Girl, Dark Magician Girl – enter Toon World, now!"

Kaiba looked on in befuddlement as my Toon World sprung up onto the field. My monsters did as I commanded, and came back out looking as cute and cuddly as ever.

"Kaiba, meet the Toon Mermaid and Toon Dark Magician Girl!"

"What...happened to them?" the horror in his eyes was plain to see.

"Welcome to Toon World, Kaiba - what is sure to be the place of your worst nightmares. Toon World protects the monsters that I command protection over, and allows me to hit your life points directly, bypassing your monsters, but I can't attack on the turn it is summoned. Every time I attack, I have to sacrifice 500 of my own life points, so I will use it sparingly."

I looked around me, only to find that the crowd of spectators had grown to nearly a hundred. Word had obviously spread fast. They were all staring in awe at my wonderful monsters that they hadn't seen before, projected into lifelike images with Kaiba's holographic technology. Toon World and its Toon Monsters had never been released to the public, after all. I only knew of one other who possessed these cards – Pegasus himself, the man who had lured me to this island by giving me these cards in the first place. I knew there was an ulterior motive on his part for doing that, but I didn't have time to think about that, right now. All I knew is that, come the time when I arrived at the castle, I'd have to be more on my guard than ever.

_What has she got hiding…? What in the world are Toon World monsters? And why haven't I heard of them before? I must know more about them! I will attack and see the results of these Toon Monsters. After all, Battle Ox isn't important. I have something else in my deck that I will draw shortly that is much more powerful… but first I will put my Spellbinding Circle on her Toon Mermaid…_

"I activate… Spellbinding Circle! Spellbinding Circle, attach yourself to the Toon Mermaid now!"

I knew it. "Uh, uh, uh! Activate magic card De-spell! You aren't the only one who has a De-spell card in your deck, Kaiba." I chided. His Spellbinding Circle evaporated.

_I should have known she'd have something like that up her sleeve. Not that it matters… she'll be in for the shock of her life once she knows what I've got coming up in my deck…I MUST draw my Blue Eyes before she draws hers! For now, let's see what this Toon World of hers can do._

"Swordstalker! Attack Toon Mermaid, now!"

"When will you learn, Kaiba? You can't attack my Toon Mermaid, because she's protected by Toon World!" I shouted, as his attack was voided.

I heard the gradually-growing crowd of spectators cheer. The time was almost two o'clock in the morning. "It's my go, and since Toon World gives me the special ability to attack you directly, you're in for a direct hit! Toon Mermaid! Attack his life points directly!"

My baby mermaid giggled from inside her clamshell and aimed her fire at Kaiba with her bow and arrow.

"Not so fast! I play Negate Attack!"

I grunted as my mermaid's attack was dissolved by Kaiba's trap card. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Kaiba!"

I watched Kaiba grin as he drew his next card. A mocking smile slowly spread over his face like a bacterial infection and he began to laugh. I was only mildly disturbed; there were other duelists in this competition – whom I had beaten – that made Kaiba look sane.

"I now play Card Destruction! This card requires both players to discard their hands – so do it!" He commanded.

I raised an eyebrow, questioning this move in my mind. "Very well, Kaiba. If you play that card, do so at your own peril. My Magic Formula is in the Graveyard now, so I gain 1000 life points. You've just gone out of the frying pan and into the fire!"

Kaiba grimaced at that, but said nothing as we drew our new hands. _So you think._ Kaiba thought to himself. _This will only bring me closer to drawing my most precious card… YES! Victory will soon be mine…_

My eyes filled with joy as I saw the fateful flash of blue and silver appear in my new hand. "It's my go Kaiba…and I'm afraid your number is up! I sacrifice the Toon Mermaid and Toon Dark Magician Girl to summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon! Come, my beast! SHOW YOURSELF!" My magnificent dragon burst to life, screaming out a primal cry as it manifested on the field between us. I had never seen anything so dazzling in my life – my dragon in its pure holographic form. What a magnificent creature!

Much to my surprise, Kaiba grinned. "So I guess your card _isn't_ a fake, then," he muttered as his very own Blue Eyes White Dragon rose up in front of him, having sacrificed the Battle Ox and Swordstalker.

I couldn't believe the odds of us both drawing our rarest cards at the same time. I had to admit, though, the opulence of seeing the two beasts facing each other on the field was spectacular. If there was any chance that they went head to head, though, they would destroy each other and our life points would both reach zero immediately. I couldn't let him attack, for I had no magic or trap cards in my hand to defend me. Well, ones that were of no value. Even if he does attack, my dragon would withstand it. If they attacked each other at the same time…who knows what could happen? We could be rendered unconscious from the impact on our lifepoints! But I have no choice…I've come so far! I can't let him destroy my Blue Eyes with his own – it would be the ultimate insult! I have to try!

"I now play Giant Trunade, which removes your Toon World from the field! Next, I activate United We Stand!" Kaiba cried, a lust in his eyes like I had never seen. 

To my disappointment, my Toon World book snapped shut, and since I had sacrificed my Red Archery Girl and Dark Magician Girl, I only had my Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field to protect me. Now that Kaiba had equipped his Blue Eyes with a spell card, I knew that I was done for.

"United We stand equips my Blue Eyes with another 800 attack points!"

"I know what it does, Kaiba." I said through grit teeth. 

"Then without further ado... BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGON, ATTACK WITH WHITE LIGHTENING NOW!"

It was almost as if my dragon wasn't going to go down without a fight. Of its own accord, in the face of adversity against one of its own kind, my dragon pierced the sky with its trademark cry and together, they both sent balls of lightening crashing into each other, obliterating themselves, blinding and deafening everybody present for a few terrifying seconds. The violent force of the impact sent me straight to the ground in a heap, into a void of impalpable darkness.

xXx

I woke shortly after to the muted sound of cheering and yahooing. My ears were buzzing and my head was pulsating. I vaguely hoped my eardrums hadn't burst. What in the world just happened, and where was I? Looking around, I slowly began to gather my awareness once again. I was lying on damp sand, with water gurgling in my throat, threatening to choke me. I sat up quickly and spat it out. A hand supported me from falling back down on the ground again. I realised it was the hand of Seto Kaiba. As if my life were flashing before my eyes, it suddenly all came back to me with startling clarity.

"I'm alright," I muttered hoarsely, shaking Kaiba's hold on me.

"Get to your feet." He demanded, holding out a hand to me. "It's fair to say, you have my attention now." Kaiba smirked.

I glowered at him and took his hand, pulling myself up. "You know very well that my strategy beat yours fair and square, Kaiba. You got lucky, right at the end."

"Don't push it," he retorted, crossing his arms. "Identify yourself. Who are you?"

I stood up and brushed the sand off my backside. My deck was still in the duel disk around my arm, thankfully.

"We met at the European World Championships in Marseille last year," I replied coolly. "My name is Reiko Sørensen." I heard the audience whisper my name and chatter amongst themselves.

"I'm going to assume that's not your real name." Kaiba said dryly.

"Well…no. It's not."

"Let me guess. Your real name starts with an 'L'?" at that moment, Kaiba caught me off guard by speaking perfect English – in an American accent, no less. I tried not to laugh.

"Try telling someone Japanese that your name is 'Lexus' and see how you like it."

"Then which is it?"

"I answer to both." I replied, wondering why he even cared.

He merely grunted.

"Anyway…" I took my deck out of the duel disk device and handed the disk back to Kaiba. "Thank you for your time."

He took it back from me, and, to my surprise, flicked me a star chip. "It's not like I need it."

"Thanks," I murmured, and slotted it into my duelling gauntlet, completing the entire collection. I wondered where he had even gotten it from.

As I turned to go, a young teenager came toward me. His eyes were like saucers, as if in awe of the both of us. I could tell he was an amateur, but he must have had some talent if he had made it to the island.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said. "What are those monsters you were playing before? They were awesome! I've never seen anything like them before!" he exclaimed.

Kaiba switched his gaze from the boy back to me. "Yes. I'd like an explanation for that, too."

"They are called Toon Monsters, and if you plan on duelling Pegasus or myself any time soon, then I suggest you shape up your deck. Toon Monsters might look cute, but they are very powerful and dangerous. They were not issued to the public because of their strength. Beware, everyone. Pegasus made these cards illegal for a reason, and believe me, he will show no mercy on you by playing them in the finals, if you make it that far." I said, speaking for everyone who was listening.

"Do you have any other Toon Monster cards?" a young girl asked from the crowd.

"Yes. The Blue Eyes White Dragon, Summoned Skull and the Alligator's Sword monster cards can all be morphed into Toon Monsters when Toon World is on the field. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I must get some rest. I plan on making it to the castle by noon, tomorrow."

The crowd disbursed as Kaiba and I walked back to the dying out embers of his campfire. Words need not be exchanged that I was going to sleep next to his fire tonight, whether he liked it or not. To hell with trying to start one of my own at this hour; dawn was only a couple of hours away, anyway.

After a time of contemplation, Kaiba asked, "How did you manage to get hold of the Blue Eyes and Toon World card? Pegasus only ever made four Blue Eyes White Dragons – of which I have three, and destroyed the other one – and Toon World wasn't issued to the public. I demand an explanation."

"You don't have to speak English for me, you know."

"It's good practice." he deadpanned, and I laughed. He obviously didn't need any more practice at English, than I did. "Now, tell me."

I sighed as I sat down on the sand. "You don't really want to know."

"Oh, but I do."

Kaiba had this way of lowering his voice into a somewhat seductive tone when he wanted something, I realised. Clever tactic, as well as using his looks to his advantage, I gathered, but it didn't wash with me. He was too young, for one thing, and I wasn't a googly-eyed teenager anymore.

I lay back against the log, churning over in my mind as to whether or not Kaiba really wanted to hear my story. I was sure he had heard enough sob stories in his mere 15 years – which was sad, now that I thought about it – but this one might be slightly more interesting, being that Pegasus and I so happened to be distantly related.

"Pegasus married my sister, Cecelia. He is now my ex brother-in-law."

There was only silence for a few excruciating moments, as Kaiba digested this information and put the pieces into place.

"You're related to that creep?"

"Not by blood, thank God." I snorted. 

Kaiba huffed, disgruntled. "Okay; maybe I really don't want to know."

I sighed. At almost three in the morning, it wasn't the most appropriate conversation to be striking up with a perfect stranger. I tried changing the subject. "I may be able to help you, Kaiba."

"I didn't need your help before, and I don't need it now."

"We're both heading to the castle. By duelling me tonight, you've helped me get one step closer to where I need to be. I'm indebted to you."

"You owe me nothing."

I deemed the conversation to be at an end as Kaiba shifted down and rolled over. His long back pressed lightly against my knees as I lay curled up in a foetal position behind him. There was a long time of silence, and then there was only heavy breathing. Finally, I put my head on my briefcase and let myself relax, drifting in and out of sleep. I normally didn't sleep well in any case, but trying to sleep on cold sand next to someone I hardly knew, didn't abate my troubles. Still, it was better than sleeping in the shadows alone. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore truly was the most tranquil of sounds, however, and gently started to lull me to sleep. I closed my eyes and tried to let the rhythm of the tides take me away, until the black of night gave way to the blue dawn.

xXx


	3. Deadly Pursuits

Chapter Three

Deadly Pursuits

xXx

_My dearest Lexie,_  
I hope you are well. Have the leaves started falling at home, yet? They are starting to turn golden here on the island, now. It is even more beautiful than it was before. I can’t wait until you can come for a vacation. When do you have your next school break? It can’t be long now. I miss you and everyone so much, but Japan truly is the most beautiful place to live; I know you would love it here. The castle is in its final stages of completion, now. It should be done by Christmas! I hope I can see you before then, though. I have started planting a flower garden. You know how I love my lilies. If they grow well, I might be able to sell them on the mainland. It’s only an hour’s journey by ferry to the nearest town, even though Peg insists on taking me on his launch. I’ve started hanging his paintings. They look so wonderful, I cannot begin tell you. Once the castle is finished, we’re going to have a fabulous gala. You’ll be invited, of course. I can hardly wait. The beginning of our married life has been wonderful so far, Lexie. You’ll know the feeling when you meet your own husband. I couldn’t have asked for a better man in Peg. He is truly so wonderful to me. Anyway, I must keep this short. We are choosing the fabric for the hallway carpets this morning and I haven’t even gotten out of bed! I woke up and the first thing I thought of was you, my little sister. Give my love to Essie, as well.   
Truly yours,  
Cecelia. 

“Hungry?”

I glanced down to my left, pulled out of my trance. Kaiba, having now awoken, extended a chocolate bar to me. “I’ve already found something. Here.” I replied, handing him a fistful of wild blueberries. 

He gazed down at the plump little berries he now cupped in his palm. “Efficient,” he mused. 

I smiled wryly and stuffed some more in my mouth, stashing the chocolate bar away for later. We set off together early-morning when most other duelists were just now awakening. Gradually making our way up the beach and back into the forest, neither of us mentioned the fact that we were traveling as a pair. After a time, Kaiba spoke.

“Seeing as we have a few hours’ walk ahead of us, perhaps now would be a good time for that story.” he said, glancing down at me. 

I tensed, weighing up the risks of involving anyone else in my plan. But perhaps telling Kaiba could work to my advantage. Taking on Pegasus by myself was a task not to be sneezed at; if I could have Kaiba ally with me against him, it would put me in a stronger position. 

“Pegasus’s father knew our father, through business,” I began. “We met him at a garden party on our country estate in upstate New York when we were children, and Cecelia kept in contact with him, as a penfriend. Pegasus moved from Vegas to New York when he was a teenager and immediately came to take my sister’s hand in marriage, but I believe he had an ulterior motive. His family are…shall we say, wealthy, so it was not for financial gain on his part, but…we had connections which he knew would help him in getting his business off the ground. At this time I was only…” I paused to think, tapping my finger on my bottom lip. “Your age, I think. Maybe a bit younger.”

Kaiba set his mouth into a firm line at that, but said nothing. I thought I noticed a faint flush creep into his pale cheeks, but perhaps it was just the way the light was reflecting from the sunrise. 

“Cecelia married Pegasus because he swept her off of her feet; Pegasus married Cecelia because of our father’s connections in the business world, and because she had money – our family inheritance. I guess it also helped that she met the criteria of being the perfect young trophy wife. At least…that’s the way I saw it.

“We were born 18 months apart, Cecelia and I, so we were very close. We might as well have been twins; people asked often enough.” I smiled fondly at the memories. “But I also knew how easily influenced she could be by other people. How innocent and naïve she was. When she married Pegasus and moved to this island with him…I had a feeling I probably wouldn’t see her again – and I didn’t. 

“She would write letters to me, because this place is so damned isolated; there weren’t even phone lines in the early stages of the castle’s development. In her letters she would tell me that Pegasus was planning on building this amazing residence so they could live like royalty – the king and queen of their very own island paradise. He wanted to give Cecelia everything. But coming to this island, it was like they were living in a fairy-tale, with only the animals for company. 

“After the castle was built, she would tell me about these weird role-playing games that Pegasus liked to play with her. In one of them, she talked about pretending to be a peasant, and Pegasus was the prince that came to save her from living in poverty. Or, she would be the princess lost in the woods, and Pegasus would take mercy on her by letting her stay in his castle. Things like that. But, after a while, their games became more sinister. 

“I started receiving letters less regularly. In the final letter I got from Cecelia, she told me she was becoming afraid of Pegasus. They had played a game that had gotten out of hand. She had been playing the role of a pick-pocket, and Pegasus wanted to ‘punish’ her for it. He locked her in their dungeon and tied her up for a whole 24 hours, gagged and bound. When he finally let her out, well…let’s just say, she couldn’t walk for a day and a half. It was all a sexual thrill for him, but by the time she finally realised this, and wanted out, it was too late.” 

I let out a shuddering sigh. It was hard to talk out loud about this, but Kaiba seemed as good a listener as any other third party. 

“I believe Pegasus killed Cecelia. If not on purpose, then accidentally. But still, its murder – or at least manslaughter – whichever way you look at it. There was no autopsy performed. Pegasus went to the mainland with Cecelia’s body and held a private burial within days of the incident. He didn’t inform the family until afterward, claiming it would take too long for us to arrive from America. The whole story about her becoming ‘sick’ with some ‘mysterious illness’ is a fabrication. 

“I believe he killed her, and when he realised what he had done, he went to great lengths to try to bring her back, even venturing to Egypt to study their beliefs on the afterlife, and resurrection. Hence, why we now have the rise of Duel Monsters, which he stumbled upon by chance while in Egypt. The man was insane long before now.”

Kaiba came to a halt, and was quiet for a time before he spoke. “That’s quite a theory you have there.”

“You don’t have to believe me.” I said. “Not many people do.”

“We’re dealing with a madman here – I wouldn’t put it past him if your theory turns out to be true.”

“I’m not sure I want to know. All I want to do is bring my sister to justice.”

After a time, Kaiba asked, “What took you so long?”

“It took me a while to build my case, Kaiba,” I retorted. “I just hope I can execute the plan that I’ve got in mind. It’s not going to be easy.”

“And your plan is…?”

“There’s a warrant out for Pegasus’ arrest on an unrelated charge – company fraud, I believe it is. If I can have him arrested for that, then I can also have him charged for manslaughter.”

Kaiba was quiet as he mulled this over. “Fraud, huh. That might have something to do with me.” 

“I assumed that was the only reason why you’d be here.” I replied, figuring that Kaiba wasn’t on the island for competition reasons. Why would he bother?

“Perhaps we could add abduction to that list, then.” Kaiba said. “He’s got my brother, after all.”

“So that’s how he got you here…” I mused. After all, Kaiba wouldn’t lift a finger for anybody – unless it involved his brother. “Do you know if he’s alright?”

“That’s what I’m here to find out.” 

Kaiba and I continued to walk. The air felt heavy between us. 

“You still haven’t explained how you got your hands on those cards,” Kaiba pointed out.

“Pegasus sent them to me, along with an invitation to take part in the tournament. I’m not quite sure how he found out that I play duel monsters, though. He’s as shady as they come, so I guess he has his ways.”

“Why would he want to see _you_ again, eight years after he allegedly killed your sister?”

“That’s what I’m here to find out.”

Kaiba slid his eyes away from me. “I would be very careful, if I were you.”

“I plan on being so.”

We walked some more under the shaded canopy. Sunlight dappled through the treetops, creating a rather humid feel to the air, quite unlike the cooler northern climates I was used to. If it weren’t for the disturbing reasons as to why I was here, I would have thought that this island was rather pretty. It was true what Cecelia had told me about the place in her letters. But all it held for me now was anger and grief.

“How do you know that there’s a warrant out on him, anyway?”

So now he was getting curious. I looked at Kaiba, wondering just how much to divulge; how much he really needed to know, what was relevant. “Let’s just say…I have friends.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. “You’re government?”

I chuckled a little. “Something like that.”

“NPA?”

“No,” 

“CIB?”

I scoffed. “Flattering, but no.” 

“Interpol?” 

“Kaiba, please.”

He grunted. “There’s more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?”

“There’s no need to feel threatened, Kaiba. Quite the opposite, actually.” 

“Well then, _what_?” I could tell he was getting frustrated at this point. 

“If you must know, I was an assistant attorney at the New York County DA’s office. More recently, I’ve become a _gaiben_ , an Attorney of Foreign Law.”

Kaiba stopped dead in his tracks. “ _You_? You’re some high-flying lawyer from New _York_?”

“Really, there’s no need to be so dramatic, Kaiba.” I crossed my arms, glaring up at him. 

Our eyes levelled each other; Kaiba was still reeling. “Where did you study?”

“Yale.”

“Huh. Looks can be deceiving.”

I didn’t know what to make of that, so I ignored it. There was nothing more to be said as we continued our quest toward the island fortress, and the challenge that awaited us both.

xXx

It was midday. Briefly, we had stopped at a stream to have a drink and wash the grime off ourselves, but it was a fleeting break. Few words were said before set out again, shortly after.

“Hm, what's this?” Kaiba stopped abruptly to look at a sign which was mounted on a cliff face outside a large cave entrance. The words “ _Duelists Beware!_ ” was written in poorly-applied red paint.

“Subtle.” I stated.

“Pathetic, more like.” Kaiba scoffed. “I think I need to teach them a lesson.”

“Suits me.”

After walking about fifty or so yards into the cave, the ground below us suddenly gave in and we found ourselves falling, like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. We fell what felt like about three metres and landed in a heap on the hard dusty ground. This was a trap; I should have known.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kaiba asked as he got to his feet and brushed himself down.

I tried to push myself up off the ground but landed pathetically back down. It soon became clear that I had sprained my wrist. I retrieved a bandage out of my briefcase and wrapped it around my wrist tightly.

“Are you alright?” Kaiba asked sternly, being careful not to show _too_ much concern, I thought.

I nodded. “Just a sprain; I’ll be fine.” 

In the murky distance ahead, I could hear a voice with a familiarly irritating coppery twang to it. The voice was male and it sounded like he was having an argument with another. I noticed the stone walls at either side of us had torches mounted on them, burning dimly, illuminating what seemed to be an underground corridor.

“Come on.” Kaiba motioned me to follow him, his purple trench coat flowing behind him as he walked.

Kaiba looked dismayed to see a group of teenagers come into view. He obviously knew them from somewhere. I thought I vaguely recalled seeing them on the ship on the way to the island several days ago. Then I realised that I had actually duelled one of them already – the blonde headed kid with that cringe-worthy bravado. 

“Well, well, well, look who it is! It's the briefcase twins!” 

Kaiba crossed his arms and smiled maliciously at the boy whose hair looked like a haystack. “At least she isn't a third rate duelist, mutt.”

_Mutt?_

The boy growled, much like that of a dog. I chuckled; Kaiba obviously had a ‘bone’ of contention with this guy. I eyed each individual in the group; the girl with short brown hair was scowling at us like we were the scum of the earth. The taller brunet boy in the fawn coat just looked dumbly at the both of us, mainly me. There was a girl – or was it a boy? – with a shock of white hair looking on curiously – fearfully – I thought. Then, finally, the dwarf kid with multi-coloured hair stood looking up at me with huge violet orbs. He could only be Yuugi Muto. This was the one that the duelling world was hailing as the new champion? 

“Is there anybody down here besides you dweebs?” Kaiba asked flatly.

The girl clenched her teeth and fists and said, “We don't know yet Kaiba, we just fell down that hole! We’re trying to get out of here!”

“I should have known you’d be of no help.” Kaiba dismissed and carried on walking past them. 

“You know them?” I inquired, following him.

“We attend the same school, unfortunately.”

I smiled, remembering my own high school days. Kaiba was so advanced for his age, one could have easily thought he was older. “Do you think there’s another way out of here?”

“If there isn't, I'll make one.”

Suddenly I heard footsteps running up behind us. The ‘dweebs’, as Kaiba liked to call them, had obviously decided to tag along. I could hear them bickering amongst each other once more.

“Hey! Hey you! Suit-Girl! Come back here a second!” I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. The boy – whose name I later learnt was Jounouchi – ran up to me panting, coming a little too close for comfort. I took a step backward. 

“Yes?” 

He looked slightly taken aback, almost as if he had been expecting some kind of immature response from me, but luckily for him, I didn’t bite that easily.   
“Uh, well, me and the gang, uh, just wanted to know if we could uh, you know? We could tag along? We're stuck down `ere, just like you are!”

“Funny, that.” I sighed and turned around, catching up to Kaiba.

“Is that a yes?” The brunet boy asked thickly from the back of the group.

“Whatever.”

We walked for a while when we began to hear eerie noises from further down in the cave. The torches on either side of the walls abruptly stopped and we found ourselves walking into complete darkness. I stopped to grab my torch out of my briefcase when the brunette girl walked into me.

“Watch where you’re going.” I muttered.

“Geeze, sorry!” she replied defensively.

“Look, there's something up there!” Muto cried from behind us. 

Kaiba and I remained quiet as we kept walking, toward what looked like a shabby, makeshift duelling arena. We encountered a group of about four male duelists of varying heights and builds, all wearing Halloween masks.

“Little early, isn’t it?” I said, shining my torch in their faces.

“We're wasting our time here.” Kaiba answered flatly, turning on his heel.

“If you don't duel us now, you'll never make it out of this cave alive!” one of the masked duelists threatened in a bogus voice.

Kaiba opened his briefcase and pulled out a sleek silver gun. He cocked it. “Would you like to find out who  _really_  makes it out of here alive?”

At that instant, they took off their masks and put their hands up, pleading with Kaiba not to shoot. I recognized one of the duelists as Bonz - a creepy kid who duelled with zombie cards. There was another one there too whom I recognised well – a champion American duelist named Bandit Keith Howard. He was humiliated in the last American Championships when Pegasus had asked a child to play the final move for him. That was something I would never forget. 

“You little punks! _You're_ the ones that trapped us in here?!” Jounouchi screeched.

“You got that right!” Keith grinned.

“Shall we settle this with a duel then?” I suggested, not wanting to waste any more time.

Keith snorted a laugh. “You? Duel against…me?” He raised his eyebrows and threw his head back in amusement. 

“I'm not the one who lost to a child, Keith,” I retorted. “So back down now, or bring it. The choice is yours.”

The duel was over in a matter of fifteen minutes. Of course I won, finishing off the duel without even having to draw my secret weapon. Bonz, Keith and their sidekicks muttered some directions to get us out of the cave. We emerged into the daylight once again and the “dweeb brigade” carried on, on their own path. Kaiba and I walked mostly in silence for another hour or so, until the castle came into view. 

Coming face to face with the obscenely opulent fortress gave me chills. I had waited 8 years to settle this score, and now that time had finally come. _Cecelia…_

At the bottom of the steps, Kaiba turned to me. “Lexus,”

“Yes?”

“Good luck in your pursuits.” to my surprise, he extended his hand.

I nodded and took it, shaking firmly but gently, noticing he was also extending me his business card. His hands were warm and strong, just as a teenage boy’s were supposed to be, and I felt something of a flutter in my lower belly. I slipped my hand out of his, taking the card with it. “You can call me Lex.”

“Lex, then.” Suddenly he got down on one knee and dug around for something in his briefcase. He pulled out the revolver he had threatened to use on Keith earlier that day. “You should keep this,” he said, handing it to me. “For protection.”

It was the first time I had held a gun like this before, a handgun, in this case a Type 26 revolver. This one in particular had the initials “KC” embossed upon it. The only practice I’d had at firing a weapon had been with hunting rifles on my parents’ estate, to shoot clay pigeons. 

“Kaiba, I don’t think…”

“Don’t think, just take it.” he ordered.

“But, what about you?”

“I have another.”

I swallowed. “Well, thank you.” and put it in my own briefcase. I wasn’t really sure I wanted to know how many bullets it had.

He nodded, and we both looked back at the castle for a few more moments. I felt like I was suspended in time; like from this moment on, everything was going to change – either for better, or for worse. There was no knowing exactly what lay ahead, for either of us. 

“Kaiba, if what I have planned goes accordingly, then you may get caught up in all of this, too.” I warned. “You may be called as a witness.”

“I’ll be willing to testify, if it means that that maniac will be put to a stop, once and for all.”

I smiled. “Thank you.” 

Having a known public figure like Kaiba testifying against Pegasus would give my case more credibility. To have him on my side would be beneficial to say the least.

After ascending what felt like a thousand steps together, Kaiba and I were subjected to a thorough examination by Pegasus’ suits. Kaiba declared he was here on unrelated business and without so much as a wave of the hand, he showed himself inside. It wasn’t like they weren’t expecting him, after all. 

“Please take off your duelling glove for examination, Miss Sørensen.” I took it off and handed it to him. He eyed each and every star chip carefully and slotted them into some kind of elaborate locking mechanism on the door. To my surprise, it opened. I guess I should have expected more tricks like these. 

“Thank you Miss Sørensen. We will be asking for your Glory of the King's Hand and your Glory of the King's Opposite Hand identification cards once all the duelists have arrived. For now, Mr. Croquet will escort you to your guest room.”

I took back my duelling glove and proceeded further into the castle. It was obvious that Pegasus’ henchmen hadn’t the faintest idea who I was, but keeping a low profile was in my best interests, anyhow. A man stood in the entrance hall wearing a black tux just like the other two. I guessed this was Croquet, or whoever those other goons were talking about. I had no idea where Kaiba had just disappeared to. 

“Welcome to the Duelist Kingdom Castle, you are the first finalist to arrive. Please, come this way.” I followed him up a flight of dark wooden stairs accompanied by a Persian rug, and down a long hallway. Stepping foot inside the castle walls for the first time filled me with a feeling of both dread and determination. Croquet halted and took out a key from his pocket and unlocked a door. 

“This will be your guest room for the duration of your stay here. Please ensure you are at the dining hall at six o'clock for the introductory feast once all the finalists have arrived. That will be when you meet Mr. Pegasus. For now, feel free to take advantage of your room's facilities.” He left me with the key to my room and vanished. 

I walked in, only to find that it was complete luxury. It was a strange feeling, knowing that my sister died in this castle. Was her spirit now haunting these corridors? I walked over to the bed, threw down my briefcase and kicked off my shoes. I advanced on the refrigerator - the only thing I had had to eat today was a handful of berries this morning, and Kaiba’s unwanted chocolate bar around lunchtime. 

Inside the small fridge was a bottle of champagne, a large bowl of fruit salad, some crackers with brie and camembert cheeses, delicatessen meats and a jug of iced water. I went for the jug of water first and gulped down about half of it. It had been a while since I crossed a river with water clean enough to drink. Come to think of it, I hadn't washed properly for nearly a week, either. Might as well take advantage of the facilities before my meet and greet, then, I thought. It had been over seven years since I had last seen my estranged brother-in-law in the flesh – at his own wedding, no less. Oh, the irony.   
Once I had had my refreshments I went and drew a deep, hot bath. It had been too long since I had pampered myself in a full-length tub. I unpinned my hair and scrubbed myself from head to toe. After a while lolling in the steaming water, I noticed that night was approaching, and wondered vaguely of Kaiba’s whereabouts. No doubt he had already gone to find Pegasus; he did have his kid brother locked away in a dungeon somewhere, after all. I sighed and pulled myself out of the tub and back into my suit, figuring I had best see to the task of finding Pegasus, myself.

xXx


End file.
